Magaluf shark that terrorised Brits may still be IN THE WATER after shock claims a different beast was captured

Eye witness claims the caught shark was 'different shape and colour' to the one seen earlier

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By Carri-Ann Taylor and Alex Diaz

27th June 2017,11:57 am

Updated: 27th June 2017,12:58 pm

A SHARK which terrorised Brits near Magaluf may still be at large according to the tourist who snapped the beast which sparked mass panic on a holiday beach.

Spanish authorities claim they captured the razor-toothed predator which surfaced in shallow waters off Majorca.

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Families gathered around a shark after it was pulled from the water after approaching the shore

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It was claimed the shark behind the closure of a string of Majorca holiday beaches had been caught

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A terrified family run from the shark in the water – seen in the top right corner of the photo

Tim Prottey_Jones

The blue shark sparked mayhem on the Spanish beach leading swimmers to race out of the water

But last night Tim Prottey-Jones, 27, cast doubt on whether the beast had been captured – saying the shark he caught on film was a different shape and colour to the one he spotted.

The chilling claim means it could still be out there – echoing the 1975 blockbuster film Jaws where seaside chiefs also claimed they caught a killer shark only for the Great White to strike again.

In the film authorities in New England wrongly announce they have caught a beast responsible for killing a young woman in the fictional town of Amity, New England because they do not want to ruin the town’s summer economy.

Tim, a musician from Mill Hill East, North London, said: “I am really not sure if the authorities have captured the correct shark to be honest.

“The one they seem to have caught is not like the one I saw on the beach. I would say the shark I saw was about six foot long but this one appears much smaller.

“It also seemed a lot darker in colour but I am not a shark expert so it could have been a trick of the light. They have obviously found the shark very quickly – if they have found it.”

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The Sun told yesterday how around 100 sunbathers looked on in horror as the black silhouette of the shark stalked Illetas beach in Majorca.

One Brit shouted “F***ing hell” as families scrambled out of the water in footage captured on video by holidaymakers.

Three beaches were shut by Spanish authorities over the weekend after the fish was spotted near the coast on the island – where 2.3 million Brits head every year.

Experts from the Palma Aquarium finally got hold of the blue shark at Can Pastilla beach, a short drive east of the Majorcan capital Palma.

It was taken to shore by lifeguards after bathers were ordered out of the water at the third beach it had been spotted.

It was decided that the young female was severely wounded and should be put out of its misery there and then.

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A swimmer pictured near the predator on the Spanish holiday island

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A blue shark is pictured near the shore in Majorca

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Despite the panic, the shark came and went within five minutes

Debora Morrison of Palma Aquarium said: “These instances are rare but if members of the public ever see a shark in shallow water they should warn the authorities immediately.

“They are at their most dangerous when they are wounded, as this animal was. The poor thing was on its last legs.

“We found a 7cm fishing hook in its asophogus and it also had a stab wound which may have been caused by a harpoon.

“It had gone weeks without eating.

“The most likely theory is that it got caught in fishermen’s netting and that caused the injuries.

“We had no choice but to put it down – it had hours to live and we didn’t want to see it suffer any more.

“First we gave it a sedative and then an overdose of barbiturates.

“The remains were processed and later incinerated.”

Blue shark are one of the most common species of sharks in the Mediterranean.

The same type of shark was blamed for an attack on a holidaymaker in Elche near Alicante last July.

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No one was injured during the terrifying incident

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The shark appeared in Illetas which is near popular British tourist spot Magaluf

The 40-year-old victim was rushed to hospital and given stitches to a wound in his hand.

The drama happened at Elche’s Arenales del Sol beach where the red flag was kept in place for around two hours when bathers were allowed back in the water.

Tourists were ordered out of the water last August in the Costa del Sol resort of Fuengirola after bathers said they had spotted a shark.

On Friday a beach in Valencia, eastern Spain, was closed after a shark sighting.

Bathers were allowed back in the water at Patacona beach after around two and a half hours.

ON PROWL 24 HOURS A DAY

THE blue shark has a large, slender body with a long, rounded snout and dorsal fin.It has a distinct metallic blue on its back and flanks with a pure white underbelly for ocean camouflage.The sharks have 14 upper teeth and be­tween 13 and 15 lower teeth that are each triangular and curved with serrated edges.Males tend to grow to between 1.8m and 2.9m (5.9ft to 9.5ft) by five years old.Females are fully grown at six and hit between 2.2m and 3.2m (7.2ft to 10.5ft). All hunt 24 hours a day, with increased activity at night.

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